Guild Wars Guru

-image vs background downloading

1 pages • Page 1
bilateralrope
bilateralrope
Desert Nomad
• #1
Lets say I just installed guild wars from CD and still have a lot of files to download but I've made it to the login screen. Is there any real difference to using the -image command or just leaving guild wars to download stuff in the background at the login screen ?

I have noticed that both will max out my connection and that background downloading will let you play guild wars while its happening.
Yanman.be
Yanman.be
Banned
• #2
Background downloading may not have downloaded areas where you might come . So you might have to wait a while to get in the area. If you're a PvP'er, I strongly advise -image. It has no cons, except for the time it takes for you to not-play GW. Also -image will make GW load faster than BG downloading, creating a better overal game experience.
Exoudeous
Exoudeous
Wilds Pathfinder
• #3
-image downloads everything, background downloading only adds what you need, and you need to still download new maps as you enter them
Kuldebar Valiturus
Kuldebar Valiturus
Desert Nomad
• #4
-image > background updating

Mainly because background updates will generally bog your game down and contribute to lag as well as making you wait longer at load screens.

I am sure some lucky bastard will come back and say that their highspeed/bandwidth connection precludes that situation, but for the rest of us on the planet we usually prefer to have our game fully updated before serious play.

Just run a -image when there is a need to get your game up to speed.
Longasc
Longasc
Forge Runner
• #5
It also decompresses the downloaded data. GW runs so much smoother with everything decompressed right from the start.

It takes some time the first time you use -image, but after that it really saves you a lot of time ingame and for future updates.
Z
Zanhir Mitharis
Ascalonian Squire
• #6
so how does one use this command? Im having lag problems as well, i used the power defrag with that contig file, same lag though, and i use the client now not the cd install
Kuldebar Valiturus
Kuldebar Valiturus
Desert Nomad
• #7
Edit the game shortcut on your desktop with the -image switch like so:

"C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -image

Again, use this only to fully update your game, not every time you play.
Z
Zanhir Mitharis
Ascalonian Squire
• #8
so what your saying is do, this once only to update then remove the -image command
Kuldebar Valiturus
Kuldebar Valiturus
Desert Nomad
• #9
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zanhir Mitharis
so what your saying is do, this once only to update then remove the -image command
Correct. See quote below.


Quote:
-image

Guild Wars client is designed to download the streaming updates in the background or when needed, in a way that will not much interfere with the user. This, however means that when a large-scale update is released, users may be required to wait while necessary files are downloaded and decompressed upon entering a new zone. With this switch, you can force the client to download and decompress all the pending updates on start up so you will not have to wait while entering a new area or mission.



The client, when started with this switch, will exit immediately after it is finished with the download and decompression. Do not use this switch in your regular game shortcut. Either use this switch from a command prompt when necessary or make a new shortcut and name it something like "Update Game".
Lonesamurai
Lonesamurai
Furnace Stoker
• #10
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zanhir Mitharis
so what your saying is do, this once only to update then remove the -image command
actually, i have the image icon in my start up, incase theres an update whilst my machines off and it updates when i log in to windows if there has been an update